Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric wire with connector (hereinafter simply referred to as a “connector wire”) and a method for manufacturing the same.
Description of Related Art
Connector wires are conventionally used for electric parts such as vehicle wire harnesses. Such a connector wire typically has an electric wire(s) and a connector to house and hold an electric terminal (crimp terminal) provided at each end of the electric wire(s) in its cavity (housing chamber). In recent years, a connector wire employing aluminum as its conductor (i.e., an aluminum wire) has been developed for this type of connector wire. Although a connector wire using the aluminum wire has an advantage in its light weight and its low cost compared with a connector wire employing copper as its conductor, it might cause a corrosion (so-called galvanic corrosion) of the aluminum conductor due to a difference in natural electric potential between material used as the terminal (typically, copper) and aluminum if liquid reached to a contact region of the terminal and the aluminum conductor.
In particular, a connector wire designed specifically for waterproof purpose (so-called waterproof connector) is widely used, in spite of its high-cost design, under an environment where the connector wire might be poured with water (e.g., in a vehicle engine room) to meet requirements of high-level waterproof property. On the other hand, such a high-level waterproof property required as the waterproof connector is not always required depending on an environment where the connector wire is used (e.g., when a connector wire is used in a vehicle underfloor or in a door). In such cases, a normal connector wire with a simple waterproof function (so-called non-waterproof connector) can be used from a viewpoint of cost reduction.
For example, one of conventional connector wires (hereinafter referred to as a “conventional example”) has a flat-band-shaped sheet member (a thick sheet member made of an elastic material, with its one side formed as an adhesive surface) having a width extending over both of a connector and wires. The sheet member is folded in two with its adhesive surface being inside of the folded sheet, thus sandwiching an end of the connector and the wires near the end and being tightly adhered both adhesive surfaces. As a result, the conventional example protects the housing chambers of the connector by the sheet member and achieves an additional simple waterproof function.
As for details of the conventional example, refer to JP 2015-69748 A.